*** Marion to build BMX track ***

Marion IN (AP) -- 08/05/2003
~City installing dirt bike track in Hogin Park~
First came the skate park.

Soon, extreme sports enthusiasts will have a new
BMX dirt track in Marion's Hogin Park, 14th Street
and Valley Avenue.

"It'll be good because everyone isn't just good at roller-blading
and skateboarding," said 12-year-old Nicholas Martin,
a seventh-grader at Justice Thurgood Marshall Middle School.
"So, if they are good on bikes, they can have somewhere to go."

The city plans to spend between $10,000 and $15,000 to
install the dirt track that will be located across from the skate
park on Valley Avenue, according to city Parks and Recreation
Director Belinda Hussong.

She said the city is waiting on donations of dirt and fencing
from local businesses. The dirt track is due to open in October.

"I'm excited about getting this project on the way because we
don't allow bikes in the skating park and this adds to the community
as something for the kids of Marion to do," Hussong said. "I also
think it will add to the quality of life in Marion."

The rules for the track are still being developed, but already
because of the lack of staffing and lighting, it will not be open at
night.
Hussong said the fence will prevent riders from entering the park after
hours and that Marion police will be responsible for locking up each
night.

She said other rules will be posted before the track opens.

"My ultimate concern is making sure that the area is safe for the bikers
of Marion," Hussong said. "We have had no major problems at the skate
park that we were not able to handle, and we will like to keep it that
way."

But some skaters have said there have been problems with
overcrowding at the skate park and bikers on the park's several ramps.

Justice eighth-grader Julian Martin thinks the
dirt track will alleviate some of the problems.

"I think it will be pretty cool. That means the skate park will not
be crowded and it will give more room to the skaters to do more
stuff," the 13-year-old said.

Marion High School student, Justin Haley, 15, agrees:
"It will be cool so that the biker people will not come
in here ruining the ramps. The ramps became ruined
because the bikes are too large for the ramps."

While the city's skate park, which opened last fall,
has provided a place for area youth to practice their
extreme skills, it hasn't kept them out of the downtown entirely.

Skateboarders say they often skate around the Grant County
Courthouse because it is different than the park and offers more
of a thrill.

Hussong said it's has more to do with being a kid.

"Just because we have a skating facility doesn't mean that they
are not going to skate anywhere else," she said. "Kids dribble
a basketball up and down the street without a basketball court.
They are kids, and kids are going to be kids."

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Ashleigh is on top of the world ***

Queanbeyan , Australia -- 08/05/2003
ASHLEIGH Cragg of Queanbeyan, who was one of 15 riders
from the ACT BMX bike clubs who went to Perth to race in the
World BMX championships, finished fifth inthe world in her age
category.

Cragg completed in the 11 Year Girls category.

The World Track was built inside the Burswood
Dome and the competition was held from July 25 to 27.

Around 26 countries competed and a
total of six world plates were brought home.

The other ACT World Plate riders were
7-year-old Harriett Burbidge-Smith (8 World),
13-year-old Caroline Buchanan (2 World),
16-year-old Leigh Darrell reclaimed his ranking
of 1 World in both his Cruiser Class and his 20" Class,
and the oldest local rider was Tony Cibiras with World
6 in the 45+ Class.

Cragg has only been racing BMX since January 2002.

In that time she has been placed fourth in the ACT
(March 2002), second in NSW (October 2002),
third in the ACT (February 2003), eighth in Australia
(April 2003) and fifth in the world (July 2003).

In addition to this, Cragg has gained the title
of NSW Age Champion for the last two years.

Her next major goal is to gain first place in the 11 Year
Girls at the NSW Title at Lake Macquarie in October this year.

She said her next dream would be to complete and better
her place in next year's World Championships in Holland
but this will depend on gaining sponsorship.

Cragg is also a very keen netball player and athlete in
which she is 11 Year Champion at Queanbenan West Public School

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Jamboree rolls into town ***

PORTAGE , IN (AP) -- 08/05/2003
~Annual festival expanded, moves to Portage High School~
Wheels of all sorts will be rolling into the city Friday night
-- along with entertainment, rides, food and crafts.

The third annual Steel Wheels Jamboree kicks off Friday at 5 p.m.
and continues throughout the weekend.

The venue for the festival has changed, however.
First held at the Portage Yacht Club, then moved to
Willowcreek Middle School last year, the majority
of this year's events will be held at the Portage High
School complex on U.S. 6 and Airport Road.

"This event is growing and we are adding new things
every year," said Gloria Nystrom, director of special
events for the Portage Park Department, one of the
festival's sponsoring agencies.

"There is room at Portage High School.
The facility can accommodate everything," she said.

One of the bigger events of the festival, however,
will be held at Imagination Glen Park, just off Ind. 149.

Some 1,200 people, ranging from 3 to 65 years, from all
over the country, are anticipated to participate in the 2003
Hoosier Nationals BMX competition at the Steel Wheels
BMX track sponsored by the American Bicycle Association t
hroughout the weekend.

Returning to the festival will be the VanDells, the nation's
number one rated rock and roll review entertainers, said
Nystrom. They will perform two shows Friday, at 8 p.m.
and 10 p.m., in the Portage High School East auditorium.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased in advance
for $12 at the park department, Greater Portage Chamber
of Commerce office or at B.J.'s Coins on U.S. 6.

Nystrom said they are still looking for contestants for the
Little Miss and Mr. Jamboree contest. Portage youngsters,
ages 3 to 7 years, may participate in the free contest by
picking up a registration form at the park office or Century
21 Real Estate, Willowcreek and Lute roads. Winners will
receive medallions, sashes and other prizes. Registration
deadline is Aug. 6. The competition will be held at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 10 under the entertainment tent at the high school.

New to this year's festival, said Nystrom, will be a talent
show on Saturday sponsored by the Portage Community
Theater, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, teen dance,
Sports Car Clubs of America races, remote control car
races, wall climbing, water blast unit and a performance
by Guy Fricano Band to close out the festival on Sunday afternoon.

Two '50s and '60s bands will also perform Saturday and
Sunday throughout the day. The Heavys and the Cocktail
Preachers can be seen under the entertainment tent.

The carnival will return and there will be more food
and craft booths available for visitors, said Nystrom.

Other community groups involved in the festival, sponsoring
events, include the Portage Rotary Club, Portage Township
YMCA, Pride in Portage Committee, Portage Kiwanis Club,
Portage and South Haven Lions clubs and Portage Township
Live Entertainment Association.

Steel Wheels Jamboree
Friday, Aug. 8
5-11 p.m. - Carnival, Portage High School
6 p.m. - Skateboard competition, Woodland Park
6 p.m. - BMX races, Imagination Glen Park
6-10 p.m. - Cruise-in, Portage High School
8 p.m. and 10 p.m. - VanDells concert,
Portage High School East auditorium

Saturday, Aug. 9
6 a.m. - BMX races, Imagination Glen Park
6-10 a.m. - Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Imagination Glen Park
9 a.m.-5 p.m. - Car show, Portage High School
9 a.m.-5 p.m.- 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Portage High School West
10 a.m., Skateboard competition - Woodland Park
10 a.m. - Crafters, vendors open, Portage High School
11 a.m.-5 p.m. - Remote controlled car race, Portage High School
Noon - 11 p.m. - Carnival, Portage High School
Noon - 5 p.m. - Talent Show, Portage High School West
Noon - 4 p.m. - SCCA racing, Portage High School
8-11 p.m. - Teen dance, Portage High School East

Sunday, Aug. 10
6 a.m. - BMX races, Imagination Glen Park
6-10 a.m. - Lion's pancake breakfast, Imagination Glen Park
7 a.m. - Car show registration, Portage High School
9 a.m. -2 p.m. - Car show, Portage High School
9 a.m. - 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Portage High School East
10 a.m. - Skateboard competition, Woodland Park
10 a.m. - Crafters, vendors open, Portage High School
10 a.m. - SCCA racing, Portage High School
Noon-1 p.m. - Police car challenge, Portage High School
Noon-6 p.m. - Carnival, Portage High School
2 p.m. - Little Miss Jamboree and Mr. Jamboree contest,
Portage High School
2 p.m. - Car show awards
4 p.m. - Guy Fricano Band, Woodland Park, Oakwood Hall
7 p.m. - Festival ends

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Kids wear bike helmets incorrectly ***

CHICAGO IL (Reuters) -- 08/05/2003
~Improper fit puts children at greater risk of injury, study says~
More and more children are donning protective helmets when
cycling but most wear them improperly, exposing them to
possible head injury, researchers said Monday. A study of 479
children aged 4 to 18 at a Falmouth, Massachusetts, clinic found
73 percent reported they “always” or “almost always” wore a
helmet when cycling. Helmet use has steadily risen from 18 percent
of child cyclists in 1991. But a four-minute test found only 4 percent,
or 20 of the children, passed the criteria for proper helmet fit.

THE THREE MAIN DIFFICULTIES were that the helmet rested
too high on the forehead, the strap did not fit around the ears in a
“V” shape, or the helmet slid too easily forward or backward on the
head.

“All of these factors expose the frontal region, the most common
site of impact in bicycle head injuries,” study author Gregory Parkinson

wrote in the journal Pediatrics.

Wearing a helmet while cycling has been found to sharply
cut the risk of head injuries, but wearing it improperly
reduces the protective benefit, the report said.

Parkinson urged pediatricians make a helmet
fitting part of a child’s regular check-up.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Parents must teach kids to play safe, officials say ***

Macon GA (AP) -- 08/05/2003
~Officials stress need for parents to teach children safety rules~

Law enforcement officials say caution and common
sense can keep fun times from turning into tragedy.

Earlier this week, 12-year-old Derrick Hatton died when the
go-cart he was driving was hit by a car. Police say the driver
never saw the boy.

Derrick was supposed to be riding in the field near his grandmother's
house. She had always warned him about driving on the neighborhood
streets.

Local law enforcement officials said the death illustrates the need
for parents to stress safety while allowing their children to have a
good time.

"It's just real unfortunate something like that had to happen,"
Macon police officer E.L. Joiner said. "We get calls all the
time about children riding these things out on city streets.
We just don't always catch them."

Georgia law prohibits anyone from driving unlicensed and
uninsured motorized vehicles on public roadways.
It also mandates that drivers and passengers wear protective headgear.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
approximately 10,500 children are injured on go-carts each year.
The number of injuries has increased yearly since 1985, said
commission spokeswoman Kim Dulic.

Most of the injured were children under the age
of 15  suffered head and upper body injuries.

"It's very important that people follow the safety laws for your state,"

Dulic said.

Although fatal accidents involving youth and motorized vehicles
have been rare in Macon, Joiner said there are plenty of opportunities.
Many people watch their neighbors' children ride up the street in
go-carts, four-wheelers, mopeds and even golf carts, and never
call police.

"People need to let us know when they see these
vehicles on the streets," Joiner said. "It's a safety issue."

Andrew Weatherall, coordinator for Safe Kids of Bibb County,
said 646 area children have been treated in hospital emergency
rooms since October 2001. Weatherall has no data on how many
of those injuries occurred on motorized vehicles, but he said those
type of accidents have increased in recent years.

"These numbers just scratch the surface of the actual numbers
of children that are injured," Weatherall said. "But most of the
injuries are caused by not wearing safety helmets and protective gear."

Chuck Young understands the need for speed, but he enforces
the rules of safety when letting his two teenage sons ride go-carts.

The Macon family spends many nights in the parking lot of
Henderson Stadium, racing their three go-carts around.
It's just about the only safe place Young says his kids can ride.

"If I ever caught them running the street, I would sell it right in
front of them, and they know that," Young said. "That's one of
the only rules I have ... and also safety, we stress that."

Young said some parents buy their child an expensive motorized
vehicle and then turn them loose, without ever considering where
the child will ride. He'd like to see the city of Macon open up a track.

"It would be a heck of a lot better than sending (city council members)
off to Africa," Young said. "It would give parents and children involved

in something they can do together."

Bibb County sheriff's Lt. Chico Scott Sr., stressed the importance
of anyone driving a motorized vehicle or bicycle to wear safety
equipment. It will not always save a life, Scott said, but it could
make all the difference.

"Those parents are buying these vehicles for fun without realizing
that they are endangering their children if they don't make sure
they are wearing proper equipment," Scott said. He said the sheriff's
office usually works about one fatality a year that occur on motorized
recreational vehicles.

"I have stopped children who were on go-carts or four-wheelers,"
Scott said. "I've followed them home. ... Most of the time, they
don't even realize how dangerous it is for them to be riding on the
streets."

Macon police are planning to beef up patrol in the Peach Orchard
neighborhood where Derrick was killed Tuesday. Although it will
never bring him back, Joiner hopes the young man's death will keep
others from driving go-carts and other unlicensed motorized vehicles
on public streets.

Anyone who sees someone driving a small motorized vehicle
on the street or without safety equipment is encouraged to call police.

"A lot of people think it's just a noise nuisance," Scott said.
"But that call could save a life."

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Taking summer camp to the extreme ***

Woodward, Pa.-- 08/04/2003
One of these days, the heart of the extreme-sports world might
be put on the map. For now, though, these are the best directions
you'll get:

Travel deep into Pennsylvania's Amish country, 30 miles east
of State College. Make a left past the graveyard and follow
the road past the big red barn on the right.

Do you see it now? A 10-foot-tall neon sign reads
WELCOME TO CAMP WOODWARD. Behind it,
85 acres of metal bike ramps and concrete skateboarding
bowls cover an old dairy farm.

Do you hear it now? Nearly 1,000 campers are buzzing.
They joke with their idols over a pizza. They howl as they
race down the Titanic, the world's largest skate and bike ramp,
and fly into the air. They crash to the ground with such ferocity
that three or four of them break bones every day.

Do you get it now?

"This is our hidden heaven," said Ryan Wilburn, a 29-year-old
professional skateboarder who trains at the camp. "Welcome
to extreme-sports paradise."

Camp Woodward is the world's premier summer camp for gymnastics,
skateboarding, BMX bike riding and in-line skating. Every summer,
about 10,000 aspiring athletes - representing 50 states and 30 countries

- flock to this village to attend one of the 14 one-week camps.

In a town where Amish buggies are more common than cars,
cutting-edge, daredevil athletes have found a place to call home.

"This is our resort," said Bob Lewis, director of extreme sports
at Woodward. "If you want make a name for yourself in our world,
Woodward is the place to do it. It's the mecca of our sport."

Woodward is the latest beneficiary of an extreme-sports craze
that has made millionaires out of X Games stars such as skateboarder
Tony Hawk. In the United States, the number of skateboarding parks
has tripled during the past four years.

"These sports are getting big, and so is Camp Woodward,"
camp president Gary Ream said. "If you've been around
extreme sports for even a few days, you know about us.
This place has a buzz you won't find anywhere else, a
buzz so strong that it made this village into a hot spot."

Ed Isabelle started the Woodward makeover in 1970, when
he stumbled into a red, deserted barn sitting in the countryside
70 miles northwest of Harrisburg, the state capital. Large, quiet
and spacious, the barn would be perfect for practicing gymnastics,
so Camp Woodward was born.

It nearly died in 1980, when the United States boycotted the
Olympics in Moscow. Gymnastics, a sport reliant on the Olympics,
slid out of the spotlight, and attendance at Camp Woodward slid with it.

"We watched things fall apart," Ream said. "Then we finally said,
'Wait a minute. Let's think. Maybe we can do a few things to save this.'
"

Like expanding the camp to include bicycle racing in 1982,
skateboarding in 1987 and in-line skating in 1993. Like building
a nine-acre race course for motorcycling and a 12-foot-high,
112-foot-wide ramp for bikers and skaters.

Now, Camp Woodward has 2,500 kids on the waiting list,
even though one week at the sleepover camp costs $845.
For this year, every week sold out by the end of October
- a good month before the camp published its brochure.

The demand for Woodward is so high that this year
the camp opened another location outside Los Angeles.

"Everyone that I know wants to be at Woodward," said
Mike Kasama, a 17-year-old camper from Haddonfield, N.J.,
who bikes. "It's just cool."

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Scooter importers seek legal advice as sales drop ***

Valletta , Malta  -- 08/04/2003
Importers of motorised scooters and e-bicycles have teamed
up to seek legal advice after they claimed the authorities had
acted unjustly against motorised micro-scooters.

One importer accused the Malta Transport Authority (ADT)
of creating so much confusion about the matter that wardens
and police were now even turning against electronic bicycles
in the streets.

Sales of scooters and e-bicycles, (small motorbikes capable
of doubling up as bicycles) have plummeted after the ADT last
week said it was unlawful to drive motorised micro-scooters in
any public road and that they would not be issued with a road
license because of safety concerns. A number of owners have
even demanded their money back.

Despite the ADT's statement, the wardens are in a quandary
since they are not delegated to act against such "offences",
and are instead giving warnings to riders.

Etienne Grima, director of Grima Industrial Supplies, criticised
the "hasty" decision given by the ADT and asked who was going
to pay for the unsold stock.

"When I queried with Customs last May I was told that vehicles
under 200 watts did not require a licence; so much so that they
were declared toys," he said.

If Customs had informed him that these two-wheeled
vehicles necessitated a licence then he would not have
bothered importing them.

A particular buyer who went to register his newly-bought scooter
was actually told by the Licensing and Testing Department that it
was not required since it had little power, he said.

Both the e-bicycles and the battery-powered scooters cannot
exceed a speed of some 25 mph, which means its velocity is
less than that of a bicycle.

Mr Grima said that the vehicles were in their majority sold
to children, though with the consent of their parents.

Grima Industrial Supplies had even gone an extra mile to
promote safety by giving a free bicycle helmet with each
purchase.

He stressed that the authorities should have come down
strongly against those who abused, but it was not fair for
the majority to pay for the wrongdoing of a few.

He said he was flabbergasted that the ADT had actually
acted against the use of micro scooters which would have
reduced congestion and pollution.

Mr Grima claimed that the micro-scooters had actually
gone as far as to eradicate abuse among those youngsters
that went on joyrides with their parents' vehicles.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Choosing the right bike ***

Anchorage AK (AP) -- 08/04/2003
~~~
COMFORT: Test ride a lot of bikes to find
the one that fits your needs and riding style.
~~~
Anyone who thinks buying a bike these days
is easy hasn't been in a bicycle shop lately.

The mountain-bike boom that began in the early 1990s
-- the National Sporting Goods Association started
counting mountain-bike sales in 1993 -- brought heavy
competition to the market place.

Competition offers choices. Choices breed confusion.
Buying an automobile in a market with a dozen manufacturers
can be problem enough. Buying a bike in a market with two
or three times as many competitors can prove mind boggling.

More than three-dozen companies now sell top-end mountain bikes.
Most have multiple models in their lines. Some offer hard-tail bikes
and differing models of full-suspension bikes. And it doesn't stop here.

Add cross bikes, BMX bikes, hybrids and traditional road bikes,
and the picture really gets confusing.

Not to mention the issue of components
-- wheels, brakes, derailleurs, shocks, crank sets and the like.
A car usually comes with its components pretty well standardized.
Bikes are different.

Prices can double, sometimes triple, solely on the basis of
the components. Bike pricing merely begins with the cost
of the frame. Sometimes, the frame represents only a fraction
of the cost. Some fancy suspension forks, for instance,
can end up costing as much as the bike frames to which they are
attached.

Until you understand this, it is more than a little confusing
to understand how the Double Super Whammy mountain
bike at Bike-R-Us costs $900 while the seeming twin
parked next to it, the Triple Super Whammy, costs twice as much.

How can this be? Well, it's as simple as the pricing on a
Sram X.0 component group versus a Shimano
Alivio component group. Got it?

No? OK, that's understandable. Unless you're a bike geek,
you're likely lost.

So let's go back to the auto analogy. Those Sram X.0 components
are the performance cousins of Porsches and Ferraris. The Shimano
Alivios match up with Ford Escorts and Dodge Neons.

All get the job done, but not with quite the same speed or style.
The top-of-the line Sram components are light, smooth and
expensive. The Alivio brakes, cranks, derailleurs, etc., are heavier,
clunkier and cheaper.

Among bicycle aficionados, light and smooth are good.
True bike aficionados joke about their quest for parts
made of "unobtainium," a spoof on the costly and unattainable
level in weight savings and strength a step beyond ultra-expensive
titanium and carbon fiber.

PORSCHE OR A NEON

So what do you need?

Good question, but you're getting ahead of yourself.

First, you need to decide which style of bike suits your riding.
Unless you're a teenager, we can probably skip past BMX bikes.
They are designed for jumping and stunts. With BMX bikes out
of the picture, all we have left are:

• Road bikes;

• Hybrid bikes; and

• Mountain bikes.

The most important things to keep in mind when deciding
between these three are weight and durability. The less a
bike weighs, the less effort is required to get it moving and
keep it moving. But lighter bikes are, in general, less durable
than heavy bikes.

To use an automobile analogy again, you could think of road
bikes as sports cars, hybrid bikes as family sedans, and mountain
bikes as pickup trucks. The biggest mistake many riders make is
buying the pickup when all they really need is the sedan.

If you are going to do most or all of your riding on paved
Anchorage bicycle trails, a hybrid bike (sometimes also called
an "urban," "cross" or "comfort" bike) will prove cheaper and
more enjoyable to ride than a mountain bike. Some hybrids
now come with bump-absorbing front shocks standard, making
them look a lot like mountain bikes. These forks are largely
unnecessary on most of Anchorage's designated bike trails.
Many of these trails are smooth enough that a road bike would
work fine.

Unfortunately, a road bike tends to encourage one to ride fast.
Anchorage bike trails are not made for high-speed bike cruising
a la the Tour de France. There is too much foot traffic and the
corners are poorly designed. Safety considerations limit speeds
to 10 to 15 mph. That being the case, why get a bike you can
push to 30 mph or more?

Settle instead for that hybrid that will let you sit astride in a nice,
comfortable, upright riding position. Even if your off-road riding
occasionally takes you out on good, unpaved trails -- like those
around Eklutna Lake or back to Green Lake in Powerline Pass
-- the hybrid should suffice.

If, however, you're planning to ride the trails in Kincaid or
Hillside parks or venture into the backcountry of the Kenai
Peninsula or the Matanuska and Susitna valleys, you're going
to need something beefier. Enter the mountain bike.

Serious cyclists will note here that road bikes have been
passed over with barely a mention. That's because they're
in a class by themselves. These bike are largely reserved for
people serious about their cycling. They are simply too fast for
local bike trails and too fragile for off-road riding. But they are
wonderful for commuting from Anchorage to Girdwood or from
Anchorage to Eagle River or for racing. If you are interested in
those sorts of things, look at road bikes. Otherwise, a good
hybrid should suffice.

ON THE ROAD OR OFF

The National Sporting Goods Association tracks mountain bike
sales in two categories: "on road'' and "off road.'' The sales of
"off road'' mountain bikes have gone from 5.7 million a year in
1993 to 7.8 million last year, up 37 percent. The sales of "on road''
mountain bikes have gone from 9 million to 15.3 million over the
same period, a 70 percent jump.

The NSGA mainly defines these bikes by where they are ridden,
not by how they are built. But you figure a fair number of the
mountain bikes in that "on road" category are either hybrids
or budget-priced, discount-store bikes. These are fine for
everyday use roads or paved trails, but they are not built to
take the abuse of real mountain biking.

Crashes are inevitable for serious trail riders. It's not a question
of if; it's a matter of when. If you ride off road, you will inevitably
hit rocks or roots and pancake, or hit a mudhole or stump and do
an "endo." Endos happen when the bike hits something that makes
it stop suddenly while you keep going over the handlebars.

Mountain bikes need to be built to survive these sorts of jolts.
That's why they are expensive -- $500 and up, sometimes way
up. Prices increase rapidly the closer manufacturers try to walk
to the line between lightweight performance and durability. Efforts
to achieve maximum strength with minimum weight lead to space-age
materials developed for high-tech aircraft. Those materials are all
expensive.

True mountain bikes come in four basic forms: hardtail,
cross country, all-mountain and free-ride or downhill.
Free-riding is a speciality class that is booming in places
Outside. It is basically motocross without the moto.

Instead of an engine, free-riders use gravity.
They take ski lifts to the tops of mountains in such places as
Whistler, British Columbia, put on full-face helmets and body
armor and then try to ride to the bottom of the mountain as fast
as possible. This flight downhill tends to involve a lot of "big air.''

If you've seen motocross racing on television, just imagine the same
thing on a ski slope without the rap, rap, rappppppppppppp of a
two-cycle motor. Free-riding in Alaska, unfortunately, is somewhat
limited by a lack of access to good slopes. The Alyeska Resort in
Girdwood has flirted with the idea of opening that mountain to
free-riders, but has yet to do so. Locally, free-riders make do
with homemade jumps and the gasline/powerline corridor on the
Anchorage Hillside.

Because of the lack of free-riding opportunities here, the
discussion of free-ride bikes will be short. Suffice to say,
they are the most durable, and thus the heaviest, of top-line
mountain bikes. They are built on full-suspension frames
-- that means shocks front and back -- with 6 to 8 inches
of travel or more. They sport disc brakes for stopping power.
They have wide, heavy tires. Many weigh 35 pounds or more.

Unless you're going to be hitting the slopes, these bikes are overkill,
although some old-fogey riders like the cushy feel of free-ride bikes.
With all that suspension, one of these bikes can be set up to perform
as a plush cruiser capable of making almost every little bump on the
Coastal Trail disappear.

Think of this as the Barcalounger rider. On the level, it might be nice.

The only downside is that you wouldn't want to try powering a
35-pound bike to the summit of the Resurrection Pass Trail.
These are really bikes designed for downhill.

If you're headed for Whistler, these bikes are worth checking out.
Whistler offers some wild downhill riding. Just watch out for the
bears. Several black bears have been T-boned by free-riders
flying down the slopes of Whistler this year, according to a story
in a Vancouver, B.C., newspaper. This ought to give you some
idea of what free-riding is about.

Locally, free-riders who have made it to the top of Powerline
Pass have reported having a blast screaming down that trail.
Sections of the Powerline down to Indian are almost impossible
for normal people to ride on hardtail, cross country or all-mountain
bikes.

Hardtails are where mountain biking began. As the name implies,
these are bikes with solid rear triangles. Hardtails began as
overweight road bikes. California bikers in the 1970s began
putting bigger tires on the more durable road frames and taking
to the hills.

The bikes soon developed a cult following and a school of
advocates willing to ride anywhere, or at least try to. They
created the mountain bike boom still being heard today.
The first and biggest change to the original mountain bike
was the addition of a front fork with built in shock absorber.

Today, nearly every top-line hardtail, and even most budget hardtails,
come with a suspension forks. Weight and performance vary by price.
Walk into any bike store in Anchorage, and you're sure to find a bike
salesman willing to make his pitch on which hardtail is best.

First, though, you better decide whether a hardtail is what you want.
Though many mountain bikers have in recent years been deserting
hardtails in favor of full-suspension bikes (more on that later),
hardtails still have a number of things going for them.

They are more durable than full-suspension bikes.
Fewer moving parts mean fewer things to go wrong.

They are light. Good hardtail frames weigh a pound to
several pounds less than the lightest full-suspension frames.

They are comparatively cheap. It's hard to find a decent,
full-suspension mountain bike for less than $1,000. There
are dozens of hardtails below that price, and some decent
hardtails at almost half the cost.

If you truly plan to do much off-road riding and money is
the controlling factor governing your bike purchase, you're
much better off looking for a quality hardtail at your local bike
shop than settling for a cheap, full-suspension bike from a major
retailer. The hardtail will be going strong long after the suspension
fails on that full-suspension bike and the other parts start to go.

If you opt to buy a hardtail, remember that geometry is everything.
But then this applies to all bike purchases.

A BIKE THAT FITS

Unless you're a real bike geek, anything said here about top-tube
lengths and head-tube angles and all the other rigamarole of frame
design won't mean a thing. But that doesn't mean these things aren't
important to all riders. Changes of a few millimeters in top-tube
length or a degree or two in head-tube angle can significantly alter
how a bike feels when you mount it.

Bike sales people call this bike fit, which is something of a misnomer
in that the issues really of interest are comfort and performance.
The bike that fits best is the bike on which you feel comfortable
and/or the bike that performs best. Unfortunately, the two don't
always go hand-in-hand.

Nobody should buy a bike that is horribly uncomfortable,
but you might find that the bike that works best for you
-- particularly when it comes to such issues as hill climbing
and slow speed handling -- is not the most comfortable to ride.

Whether you opt for comfort over performance or performance
over comfort is a very personal thing, but consider this: It's much
easier to grow comfortable over time with a bike that performs
well than to try to improve the performance of a bike that's
comfortable.

Your body is a pretty adaptable instrument. It changes naturally
and at no cost. Bikes, on the other hand, can be adapted by
changing the lengths of cranks, stems and seat tubes to alter
performance, but these are costly, difficult and often less than
perfect modifications.

So how do you decide if a bike fits?

Ride it.

If the bike shop or store won't let you ride it, find another bike shop.

Experienced cyclists can sometimes get a feel for what they want in
a new bike with a quick tour around the bike shop parking lot.
Inexperienced cyclists will probably need more. Get the bike
on some hills to see how it climbs for you. Find some places to
perform some tight maneuvering to determine how the bike
handles at slow speed. Do the same thing at higher speeds.
Talk to the bike salesman or saleswoman about the bike's design.

Some of them, though not all, know a lot about bikes.
Don't forget, it's their job to try to sell you a bike, so they'll
often feed you a lot of hype. But they also don't want to make
a sale to a customer who will be back in the shop in a week
or two whining about the purchase.

Don't expect the bike people to be able to dial up the perfect
fit for you. Over the years, some bike fit computers have been
pulled together to help them do this, but the computers don't
always work. They will, however, help you get close in the fit
department, and sales people ought to be able to outline the
trade offs between frame sizes.

There is more to this sizing than just standover height
-- the distance between your crotch and the top tube on the bike.
Smaller frames usually have shorter wheelbases that makes them
handle quicker at slow speeds on rough trails. The trade off is that
they don't track quite as well at high speeds on smooth trails.
Longer wheelbases have the opposite strengths and weaknesses.

But you don't want to buy a frame solely on the basis of wheelbase,
either. Big riders on frames too small are forced to sit atop tall
seat posts wiggle-wagging above the frame, and little riders on
frames too big, well, they risk crotch damage when they stop
the bike and try to dismount.

That said, it is also necessary to recognize there are some big
riders who might be most comfortable on small frames and vice
versa for small riders.

The only way to figure out what fits you best is to spend a lot
of time in the saddle. Ideally, you want to ride a lot of bikes
before you buy. If you've got friends who ride, get them to
let you try their bikes. Then take a day, a week or a month
and hit all the bike shops around Anchorage and ride anything
you can get a leg over. Allow yourself to get a feel for what
works for you and what feels good.

Try to avoid the temptation to buy
the hot bike of the hour or day or year.

This may not be easy to do. Competition among bike manufacturers
is downright intense and that means someone is always pushing the
performance envelope. Today's super bikes becomes tomorrow's old hat.

These days, too, the super bikes are almost all full-suspension bikes,
either all-mountain or cross-country. The line between these two
classes is a little blurry. Pure cross-country bikes are light and fast.

All-mountain bikes seek to blend the attributes of the cross-country
bike with the downhill capabilities of a free-ride bike.

Confusion arises as cross-country bikes get heavier to make
them more durable or provide a greater suspension range, and
all-mountain bikes get lighter to make it easier to pedal them up
the mountain before riding down.

The Specialized Epic, with its "smart" shock, and the Santa Cruz Blur,
with its "variable pivoted point," are the stars of the moment.
Both might be considered all-mountain bikes, although some
have been modified to reduce their weight to near cross-country
standards.

Both these bikes are hot because they were designed to do one thing
-- minimize bob.

Bob is what you get when you hammer on the pedals while
riding a full suspension bike. Bob is the seat post going up
and down because of your pedaling instead of going up and
down because of variations in terrain.

Since full-suspension bikes hit the market,
eliminating bob has been something of a Holy Grail.

The easy solution, of course, is to simply put a suspension
"lock-out'' on the rear shock of a full-suspension bike.
That way, when riding on smooth, flat trails or uphill,
the rider can reach down and turn the shock off, effectively
converting an expensive full-suspension bike into a hardtail.

The downside to lockouts is that they add weight and require
the cyclist to make judgments. On a moderately rough and
level trail, do you want to lock the shock for maximum pedaling
efficiency, or allow it to move for maximum riding efficiency?
This is not as easy a decision as it might appear to the inexperienced.

Once you start riding full-suspension bikes, you discover that
one of their great strengths is that the rear suspension makes it
possible to keep on pedaling over surfaces so rough that the
bouncing on a hardtail would make pedaling impossible.
At the same time, there is no denying that the science has
shown that unnecessary bob decreases pedaling efficiency.

On the ideal bike then, the suspension doesn't start working
until the bouncing reaches the point where it would be severe
enough to prevent pedaling on a hardtail.

WILD CARD

There is a wild card in all of this -- the rider.

Smooth spinners, who keep that crank flying around in a nice
circle, minimize bob. Pedal mashers, those who bounce from
pedal to pedal and hammer the down strokes, maximize bob.

These differences help explain why suspension-bike design
No. 1 might work great for Rider A, but bob way too much
for Rider B. If, of course, Rider B is one of those bothered
by bob. Some cyclists seem pretty much immune to bob irritation.

They'll happily bob along as if bob were part of their natural
pedal stroke. If you're lucky, you could be one of those people.
If you are, there are a wide range of full-suspension bikes with
which you will be happy.

Everyone else, however, is going to have to keep test-riding
bikes until they find one they like. Unfortunately, there isn't
enough space here to get into the virtues of single-pivot
designs versus four-bar linkages or discussions of the merits
of rear air shocks versus coil-spring shocks.

All have their strengths and weaknesses, as evidenced by
the fact some manufacturers produce both single-pivot and
four-bar bikes. The single-pivot is the simplest system,
meaning it has fewer bushings or bearings to break or wear out.
Some of these bikes offer a ride that could only be called plush.
But they are also prone to bob, and tend to stiffen, acting much
like a hardtail, when the brakes are applied heavily.

Four-bar linkage systems, on the other hand, reduce bob and
remain active under breaking. But some people think the ride
far more harsh than single-pivots. Four bars soak up the big bumps,
but not all of the small ones. And they have more moving parts about
which to worry.

So which is best for you?

Only you know.

Go ride. Then ride some more.
And keep on riding until you've got an answer.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Pedestrian accident simulation helps police, raises public awareness
***

Grays Harbor , Washington -- 08/04/2003
On a deserted road at the Port of Grays Harbor, a station wagon
flying along at 65 mph slams into an unsuspecting bicyclist.

At that speed, the biker's head shatters the wagon's windshield as
his body catapults into the air. The bike's back wheel is completely
crushed as the wagon runs it down.

Fortunately, this isn't a real - life accident. It's a training scenario

for police investigators. About 30 officers, deputies and troopers
from around Washington state have spent this week in Aberdeen
studying how to solve hit - and - run crashes involving pedestrians.

Thursday morning's demonstration with crash dummies
showed how lethal accidents involving pedestrians can be.

"It doesn't take a high level of speed to kill a person,"
Aberdeen Sgt. C.J. Chastain said.

This is the second year Chastain and the Aberdeen Police Department
have invited some of the top accident investigators in the country to
teach Washington police about collisions involving pedestrians or
bikers.
Aberdeen received a $10,000 state grant to host instructors from the
Institute of Police Training & Management, a national law enforcement
training agency based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Investigating pedestrian accidents can be completely different than
collisions involving two cars, class instructor Shawn Twitchell said.
Twitchell's main job is working as the chief accident investigator
for the Scottsdale, Ariz. Police force. But one week a year,
he volunteers his experience as an instructor for IPTM.

For one thing, evidence in a pedestrian collision tends to be more
difficult to collect than in a car - on - car crash. When two cars
collide, investigators can often tell what happened by measuring
the skid marks. Police have to look for faint scuff marks, blood
or scrapes from a bicycle frame in order to determine where the
pedestrian was first hit.

"Sometimes, you have to get down on your hands
and knees to find this stuff," Twitchell said.

By measuring between the point of impact and where police found
the struck pedestrian, investigators can determine how fast the car
was traveling. The police then draw diagrams of the scene and
calculate speeds using algebra and physics equations.

"I never thought I would be using high school
algebra in law enforcement," Twitchell said.

Local police also learned this week how to gather evidence in
case of hit - and - runs. Small pieces of glass, flecks of paint,
even broken windshield wipers can help detectives link a vehicle
to the scene of the crime.

About 14 percent of all fatal traffic accidents involve walkers
and bikers, statistics kept by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration show. An average of 77 pedestrians and 12 bicyclists
die each year in Washington, according to state Traffic Safety
Commission records.

Both motorists and pedestrians need to be more aware of their
surroundings, Twitchell said. Drivers should realize it takes at least
100 yards - the full length of a football field - to stop a car going 60
mph.
Therefore, motorists need to watch for pedestrians where they least
expect them, even on rural roads.

A common misconception among walkers and joggers is that by
wearing reflective clothing they are visible at night. Twitchell
recommended bright reflective gear to make sure drivers can see you.

Some Grays Harbor police departments are conducting crosswalk
"stings" to raise awareness regarding pedestrian safety. The
Montesano police have been getting a number of complaints about
drivers not yielding to walkers in the downtown shopping area, so
officers in plain clothes are now patrolling crosswalks. Drivers
who don't stop at the crosswalks can be ticketed.

"We actually give out more warnings than tickets,"
Montesano Chief Ray Sowers said. "It's about raising awareness."

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Napa teen testifies attackers asked if he was gay ***

Napa Valley CA (AP) -- 08/04/2003
A Napa teen who was the victim of an alleged hate crime testified
that he was brutally beaten and threatened because of his sexual
preference by two men who both have swastika tattoos.

Because of the nature of the crime, the Register has
chosen not print the name of the 19-year-old male victim.

Following a four-hour preliminary hearing on Friday,
Napa County Superior Court Judge Stephen Kroyer ordered
there was probable cause to hold Eugene Paul Ritter, 25,
and Roger Lee Massie, 32, both of Napa, to answer to
several felony charges.

Ritter and Massie were held to answer to felony battery/violation
of civil rights. In addition Ritter was held to answer to felony making
criminal threats with a special allegation of a hate crime and
dissuading
a witness from reporting a crime to police. Massie was held to answer
to felony possession of a destructive device.

The alleged beating happened on July 17,
at China Point Park on First Street in downtown Napa.

The victim suffered a broken nose and a split lip,
which required several stitches.

The beating was allegedly spurred by the victim's sexual orientation.

At Friday's hearing, the victim told Judge Kroyer
that Massie asked him if he was a "queer."

"I told him it was none of his business. And while I was
answering him, he hit me several times in my face and mouth.
He busted my nasal cavity and hit me in the eye. He told me
he was going to kill me," the victim said, although he also testified
that he wasn't clear if Ritter was the individual who hit him.

"Were you scared?" deputy district attorney Doug Pharr asked.

"I was freaked. I thought they were going to kill
me and throw me in the river," the victim replied.

"Are you gay?" Pharr asked.

"Yes," the victim answered, nodding his head up and down.

The teen said he then ran to the Cinedome Theaters to use
the telephone and clean up in the bathroom. He said he called
his brother, who drove to the Cinedome and picked him up.
The two brothers then drove around looking for Massie and Ritter.

Within minutes they spotted Ritter at the
skateboard park on Pearl and Yajome streets.

"I recognized him from the swastika tattoo under his eye,"
the victim said.

The teen testified that when he told Ritter he had committed
a hate crime, "He said, 'That's just what we don't want.
If you let this become a hate crime, you and your family will be
killed.'"

The victim also said Ritter apologized to him for the beating,
but denied hitting him, saying Massie was coming down
from a three-day cocaine binge and had to take it out on someone.

During his testimony, the victim said that before the attack,
he was approached by an acquaintance named Joe, who
asked him if he had a marijuana smoking pipe.

Joe, along with Ritter and Massie were at China Point Park earlier.
They had marijuana but no pipe in which to smoke it.
Joe went looking for someone with a pipe and found the victim,
convincing him to return to China Point Park, where they would all smoke
pot.

The victim said he did not know Ritter, but recognized
Massie as a person he had smoked pot with about four times before.

The victim testified when he arrived at the park, Massie
immediately confronted him and there was never any
mention of smoking pot.

Defense attorney Peter Firpo, who is representing Massie,
asked the victim about his previous interaction with Massie
and if he was afraid of him because of his swastika tattoo.

"Did you ask him if he was a Nazi?"

"No. I usually avoid persons with swastikas because they
are usually gay bashers and violent people," the victim answered.

"But on those four previous occasions you smoked
pot with him, he never hurt you?" Firpo asked.

"Well, I assume he didn't know about my sexual preference,"
the victim replied.

During his testimony, the victim said the whole
incident had been blown out of proportion.

Ritter's attorney Michael Keeley asked the
victim what he meant by that remark.

"Well, there's just a whole lot of hate.
That's all," he answered.

"Since the incident have you gone out alone?" Keeley asked.

"No."

"May I remind you that you are under oath?" Keeley asked.

"Well, barely. Maybe two or three times, and then only about
three blocks away to my friend's house," the teen replied.
"I don't want any problems. These guys have friends and family."

The victim did not notify police of the alleged assault. However,
when he was taken by family members to the Queen of the
Valley Hospital, staff called police to report the beating.

Officers spotted Massie and Ritter later that day,
and after they were identified by the victim, they were arrested.

During a search of Massie, police found a 2-inch pipe bomb
in his front pants pocket, Napa Police Detective John Corrigan
testified at Friday's hearing.

The device, which had metal caps on each end and a fuse on one end,
was wrapped in black electrical tape, Corrigan said.

The Napa County bomb squad was called to
the scene and detonated the device.

Sheriff's Lt. John Robertson testified on Friday
it was a destructive device filled with explosives.

Ritter and Massie are scheduled for arraignment on Aug. 14.

Both men are being held without bail in the county jail.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** BMX Racing: A Wheel Life Fantasy ***

Washington Post  -- 08/03/2003
~BMX Racing Is an Extreme Olympic Sport That Has a Youthful Appeal~
Zach "Z-Man" Rauscher crouches, waiting for the announcer to start the
race.

In these moments, Rauscher said, he visualizes his every move,
going through the turns and over the jumps that lie ahead.
He plots his moves, and struggles to keep all of his thoughts
on the race at hand.

On this day, Rauscher's thoughts are going beyond the
1,200-foot long dirt track that is located across the street
from his Severn home. Known to his fans simply as "Z-Man,"
Rauscher is training to become an Olympic athlete at the
Severn-Danza Athletic Park in Severn.

His sport is BMX racing, or bicycle motocross, where riders go up,
down and around a dirt track, competing against racers of the same
age and expertise. For most of the past 25 years, riders raced for
bragging rights, trophies, and occasionally small purses. But on
June 29, the International Olympic Committee announced BMX
racing would become an Olympic sport, beginning in 2008 in Beijing.

"I'll be 21 when they do that," said the 16-year-old Rauscher.
"I'm going to go for it. I'm going to be riding when I'm 70, if I can.
When I heard about it, I said, 'That's crazy, that's awesome.' "

Spurred on by the success of snowboarding during the Winter
Olympics in 1998, as well as the growing number of youths interested
in "extreme sports," International Olympic Committee Chairman
Jacques Rogge said the addition of BMX racing was an attempt
to draw a younger audience to the Olympics. The recent BMX
World Championships, held in Perth, Australia, drew approximately
2,000 riders in 42 categories.

Unlike many sports that are considered for Olympic competition,
BMX will not serve any time as a demonstration event. Because
officials view BMX as spectator- and viewer-friendly, with an
ability to draw young people, officials have made it a medal
event from its inception.

"I think we all want to see what new things we can add to
broaden our audience. That influence is there," said Sean Petty,
vice president of USA Cycling, the governing body of cycling in
America, and a consultant with the IOC.

USA Cycling and the IOC will develop rules and races for the
new Olympic events. Already determined is that the sport will
offer two medals, one to men and one to women. The BMX
events will require athletes to be at least 19, and the events
will replace two of the Games' other cycling competitions,
which have not been determined.

Petty said more decisions will be made by October, but the
recruitment of talent already has begun. In December, USA
Cycling invited participants from the two governing bodies of
BMX Racing, the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and
National Bicycle League (NBL) to Colorado for screening.

"It's about time they got in the limelight," said Aaron Hill, a
29-year-old motocross racer who coaches young riders and
works at Capitol Hill Bikes in Southeast Washington. "It's a
sport that requires the top three things an athlete can possess:
balance, speed and endurance."For most kids, they ride their
bikes everywhere until they get their cars. Then they stop.
We, the BMX riders, never stopped."

Matt Eggimann, a track director for the ABA,
said his organization and the NBL have been
hard at work since June 29.

"Just the exposure for racing will be phenomenal," Eggimann said.
"There will be a lot of media, a lot of sponsors, a lot of promotion.
And tracks will have to be ready for an influx of riders, because
BMX will skyrocket. We're all looking forward to seeing this take off.

Rauscher's career and the rise of BMX have similar trajectories.
In just a year of competition, he has become one of the most
decorated riders in the Washington area. His rating of 16 Expert
means he the best of his age group. He earned the rating by
winning 31 races last year in his first year of competition.

"It was a crazy time for me," Rauscher said. "I was into skateboarding,
and I did that for about a year and made some new friends and they
were riding, so I just said, 'Okay, I'll start riding.' "

About 100 children, boys and girls, compete at the Chesapeake
BMX track in Severn every Sunday, and twice that number
show up to watch some days.

The ABA and NBL operate hundreds of tracks across America,
and they also put on national meets and championships. Locally,
there are two tracks for racers to make their weekly pilgrimages,
the Chesapeake BMX track and an NBL track in Woodbridge.

"I don't get to come out to practice too much because I don't have
a car," said 21-year-old intermediate racer Donathan Williams of
Crofton. "I come out here as much as I possibly can."

BMX racing had its start in the early 1970s in Southern California,
beginning as an imitation of what motorcycle riders were doing at
the time, jumping over obstacles in parking lots and in backyards.
Its popularity peaked in the early to mid-1980s, a period that saw
seven bike tracks sprout up in Maryland alone. But by the early
1990s, the sport had fizzled, giving way to video games and other
alternative sports.

The sudden resurgence can be attributed to some of those same
competitors. Countless video games promote extreme sporting
events, particularly skateboarding, snowboarding and motocross,
and instead of pulling kids away from recreational activity, they
seem to encourage kids to try them for real. Some kids, like
Rauscher, do it all.

"I used to be into the skateboards, and I still am," Rauscher said.
"But in bikes, you're going faster, and there's a lot more places to
go to ride. You get a lot more air, it's a lot more exciting."

Being properly equipped for BMX can be expensive.
Seven-year-old Tyler McMeans of Bowie took up racing
just over a year ago and has competed in 25 races. His bike,
a smaller version of a teen-ager's model, cost $300, and that
was before his parents modified the rims, gears and fork for
faster racing.

"It's all he wants to do," Kevin McMeans said of his son, the
No. 8-ranked intermediate racer in Maryland for all age groups.
"Other parents told us we should sign him up, and he wanted to do it,
so we bought him a race bike."

Hill, the 29-year-old rider and youth coach, said a typical
20-inch starter bike can cost anywhere from $250 to $1,500
before customization.

"It is not cheap," Hill said.
"I know some people who just can't afford to do it."

Being 7, Tyler said he doesn't think about the money.
But the 2012 Olympics, the first for which he could be
eligible, have crossed his mind.

"I just know to try my best," he said, "and never quit."

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** BMX marks the spot for PoCo champion ***

Coquitlam Tri City, Canada -- 08/03/2003
Local BMXer John Hyatt listens to Eminem
on his Discman to get psyched up before a race.

"I just like to go fast and win," he explained
Hyatt, who turns 17 in September, usually does both.

Inside the basement of his Port Coquitlam home, the fast-pedaling
BMXer has amassed hundreds of trophies, plaques and other prizes
commemorating his first-place podium finishes. One of the framed
awards is a certificate of achievement in the sport of BMXing
presented to him by PoCo Mayor Scott Young in January 2002.

But in order to tell just how good a BMXer really is, all you really
need to do is take a look at the number-plate attached to his
handlebars.
Hyatt sports No. 1 on his.

The coveted number-one plate is presented to the overall
Canadian BMX champion and, for the past two years,
he has proven to be the best rider in his age category.
In fact, he has been winning races pretty much ever
since he took up the sport of BMX at age 10.

"My parents got me started," said Hyatt, who now regularly trains
at the BMX track in Pitt Meadows. "Most parents don't realize it's
a good family sport."

By Grade 8, the racing dynamo had already qualified for the
nationals and his parents had to start thinking about putting up
more shelves in the basement for his growing collection of BMX
racing hardware.

"It's turned into a shrine," laughed Hyatt's mother, Susan.
Hyatt's penchant for competition has already taken him
across Canada and the United States competing in races
from Prince George, B.C. to Louisville, KY, where, in
Grade 10, he raced at the BMX World Championships
before a crowd of 15,000.

"I had no idea how fast everyone would be,"
recalled Hyatt of the eye-opening race in Kentucky.

Hyatt crashed in the quarter final but said it was a
valuable experience to test his skill against world's top riders.

"It's all mental," he says when asked what it takes to win a race.
Speed helps, too. Despite the number of crashes in the sport,
he refuses to wear the Darth Vader-like protective body armour
favoured by other riders. "I'd rather take a risk than have it on,"
he says matter-of-factly.

So, with some added experience and muscle - the 5'7" rider
gained nearly 30 pounds of muscle this past year from lifting
weights and other cross-training - Hyatt recently represented
Canada at the BMX World Championships in Perth, Australia
from July 19 to 27.

"It was the most competitive race I'll have ever been in," said Hyatt,
who travelled to Oz with his dad, Martin.

Although he didn't return from Down Under with another trophy
(he crashed in the a qualifying race, injuring his shoulder and
suffering a mild concussion), Hyatt is still the reigning Canadian
champ.

After he graduates from Riverside secondary next year,
Hyatt is planning to attend BCIT or Douglas College but
says he would still like to turn pro, which would require a
move to the United Sates. "You really don't make enough
money in Canada," he explains.

That doesn't mean he won't be riding for his country anymore.
Hyatt is excited BMX racing was recently added to the 2008
Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and would like to earn a
spot on the Canadian team. "Only three people qualify," he says,
"and I want to be one of them."

The winner is...

Tory Nyhaug has returned from the UCI BMX World Championships
in Australia with a gold medal in the 11-year-old age category. The
Coquitlam rider is currently competing in an American Bike
Association event in Reno, Nevada.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Euro Chap,Age8, Mounts up for Decoy Challenge ***

South Devon UK -- 08/03/2003
An eight-year-old Newton Abbot boy sports star, who is a
European champion and a World quarter- finalist, will be in
action in his home town this weekend.

The sport is BMX bike racing and the little lad
with this big sporting pedigree is Ryan Stack.

On July 13 he went to the European Champ- ionships and won
the eight-and-under group to become European title champion.holder.

Indeed, his parents were so delighted they flew him to Perth, Australia,

to compete in the World Championships where he did extremely well
to reach the quarter- finals in his age group.

Jet-lag permitting, he now has the chance to show off his
precocious talents on home territory when the fast-expanding
Decoy Club hosts round six of the eight- round National BMX
Series at Decoy Park.

It is the biggest BMX event in Devon and Cornwall this year,
with more than 300 of the country's top riders taking part today
and tomorrow.

Decoy club president Dave Drew says: "It's been a hectic time for us.
Only last weekend we were playing host to 150 riders in round five
of the South West regional series."

The club is not expecting to make much impact at senior level in the
National event but in the junior categories it could be a different
story thanks to Ryan and several other promising youngsters.

The Decoy Club has been on the up-and-up in recent times.
In the last five years they have doubled their membership from
50 to 100 and their age range now spans seven to 50. And they
are competing in most of the country's major series.

In addition to attending the World and European Championships,
they will be at the South West Championships at Tiverton BMX
Club on the Bank Holiday weekend of August 24-25 and at the
British Championships at Cheddar in mid September.

Meanwhile, a former club member from one of the most prominent
BMX racing families in the country looks all set for international
honours.

Kye Forte, 22, from Newton Abbot, who is now a professional
BMX rider and sponsored by Pashley Cycles of Stratford-on-Avon
and Osiris Shoes, has qualified for the X Games, the world's top
competition in extreme sports.

He flies out on August 3 for the Games, which are being held in
Los Angeles' Laker Stadium, and he will race in the King of the
Dirt Competition.

In the National Adventure Sports (NAS) weekend at the South
and West Showground at Shepton Mallet a week ago he was
out-and-out winner, which earned him the only qualifying place
for the prestigious USA event. The crowd were right behind
him all the way.

Kye was the 2000 European King of Dirt Champion and he's the
number one British based dirt jumper. And he finished third in the
World Championships at Faro in Portugal in June. He is now a
national BMX star and frequently finds himself on magazine covers.
However, if he doesn't need to acquire biking expertise, he does
need further sponsorship. Any companies who wish to support him
can contact him on telephone number 01626 351933,
or via his website: bmx40@blue- yonder.co.uk

In fact, the whole Forte family are top riders. Brother Toby, 19,
is almost up there with his brother. He won the Sea Otter Classic
in San Francisco two years ago but is currently out with knee
ligament trouble; and Leo, 17 (sponsored by Perv Bikes) came
third in the NAS events at both Shepton Mallet and Peterborough.
Then there is their sister, 11-year-old Amber, who also looks set
for big things.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Scooter riders told to scram ***

Chicago, IL (AP) -- 08/03/2003
Fox Lake Police Chief Ed Gerretsen is issuing a stern warning
to owners of miniature motorized scooters: Stay off village streets
and sidewalks or face a stiff penalty.

The hot teen toy sweeping the suburbs has raised the ire of
Gerretsen and Fox Lake village officials who say they violate
state and local laws and are illegal to ride anywhere except
on private property.

"We are definitely seeing an increased number of the things
everywhere," he said. "They're on sidewalks, parking lots,
streets. In fact, someone almost got hit last Sunday when
he tried to drive it across Route 12. He was lucky he didn't
get nailed."

Gerretsen and board members want to beef up the basic state
law on the books by adding fines, tickets and confiscation power.

Fox Lake becomes the latest community to crack down on the
scooters, most of which resemble skateboards that have steel
handlebars and are propelled by gas or electric motors.

Lake Zurich, Wauconda, Wood Dale, Bloomingdale,
Glen Ellyn, Roselle and Schaumburg have enacted legislation
banning or restricting motor scooter use.

However, scooter dealers believe the machines, which cost
$99 to $700 and can reach speeds higher than 20 mph, are safe.

Rick Kubica, who sells the vehicles at Antioch Schwinn Cyclery,
said scooters are only as dangerous as the person behind the handlebars.

"Bicycles can be dangerous when ridden on the road or the sidewalk,
just like motor scoters," Kubica said. "Anything can be dangerous in
the hands of a dangerous rider."

Lake Zurich Assistant Chief Patrick Finlon said most scooters,
which are targeted at teens and pre-teens, are operated by
youngsters who have not been through motor vehicle training.

"These vehicles are being operated at relatively high speeds
by individuals with no formal 'Rules of the Road' training,"
Finlon said. "There is a definite public safety issue."

In July 2002, 13-year-old Louis Limberopoulos of Des Plaines
was struck and killed by a car while trying to cross a busy intersection

in Mount Prospect. Limberopoulos was crossing against a red light,
police officials said.

"We firmly believe there are serious safety issues with these machines,"

Finlon said. "So, we acted on them."

Lake Zurich can fine drivers up to $100 per offense and confiscate
the scooter when an offender receives three tickets. Finlon said the
village has not confiscated any scooters since the law was approved
last year.

Public education of the safety issues and laws surrounding
motorized scooters virtually stopped the problems, he said.

"Public education worked great in this case," he said.
"We received a lot of calls early on but haven't had
one in a while. I think people understand that they are
dangerous and illegal."

Wauconda police took similar action.

Board officials restricted motor scooter use after
fielding complaints about several near-accidents.

Gerretsen said the ordinance under review
in Fox Lake is similar to Lake Zurich's.

He said people will be fined for riding scooters on public
right of ways, including roads, sidewalks, bike paths,
parking lots and park areas.

He also said village attorneys are reviewing whether to make
it possible to confiscate scooters after an offender reaches
a certain number of tickets.

He added the public will be educated on their use but stuck to
his warning police will crack down until people on motor scooters
obey the law.

"These things are dangerous," Gerretsen said.
"They are not licensed to be on public roadways,
and people caught will be ticketed."

Riders: Scooters could be confiscated

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** How Shimano pedalled its way to success ***

TOKYO - 08/03/2003
~~~
The company that now has a 70% share of the
bicycle-parts market hit it rich only when it went abroad
~~~
When Lance Armstrong won his fifth straight victory recently in
cycling's premier event, the Tour de France, it also represented
a major triumph for Japanese bicycle-parts manufacturer Shimano,
whose products the American cyclist has long used.

But that's not all.

Three of the top five teams in the event raced with Shimano
components, while 10 of the 22 participating teams also went
with Shimano.

Billed as the world's leading bicycle-parts producer,
with a 70-per-cent share of the market, Shimano is
often said to be more well-known abroad than at home.

Out of more than 100 million bicycles produced every year
globally, 40 per cent are said to be fitted with Shimano parts,
most of them going to sports cycles in Europe and America.

This huge overseas market undoubtedly played a major part
in helping the Osaka-based manufacturer - which also makes
fishing tackle, golf clubs and snowboard equipment - weather
Japan's recession better than most other medium-sized companies.

But the company's pioneering spirit is, perhaps,
the biggest reason for its success.

It was founded in 1921 by Mr Shozaburo Shimano,
who joined an ironworks as an apprentice straight after leaving school.

'My father hated to become a farmer like his father.
He was a self-made engineer. At 26, he became
independent and established Shimano Iron Works,'
recalled Mr Yoshizo Shimano, the current chairman
of the company, which in 1991 became simply Shimano Inc.

The founder had to fight to gain acceptance in Japan for
his first product, a freewheel - a key bicycle part
- by offering to not only replace a defective part but also give spares.

He finally gained recognition for quality but the stagnant
Japanese market forced the company to look beyond Japan.

In 1965, it opened an office in New York. But it was not until
1972 that Shimano gained a foothold in Europe, where bicycling
has a long tradition and markets were long ruled by European
manufacturers such as Italy's Campagnolo.

So strong was European dominance that it was not until 1999,
when Armstrong won his first Tour de France Yellow Jersey,
that Shimano could say finally that it had the world in its hands.

But it was not simply about teaming up with the right cyclist.

Shimano excelled in innovation. In an industry where
bicycle-parts makers still focus mostly on the equipment
they make best, Shimano decided to make entire systems
- from brakes to gears.

And in 1973, when it was still relatively rare for Japanese
companies to have manufacturing operations abroad,
Shimano set up a factory in Singapore, which today
oversees the production in its Johor and Batam plants as well.

It has also moved into China, and is targeting the
growing Chinese appetite for higher-end bicycles.

But at the same time, two things worry
chairman Shimano with regard to China.

One is the potential competition there.
The other, and more immediate, concern is the
accelerating imports of cheap, and often unsafe,
Chinese bicycles into Japan.

Last year, 2.9 million bicycles were produced in Japan
compared with 8.3 million units imported mostly from China and Taiwan.

Most of the cut-price imports are so-called 'mamachari'
models used by Japanese housewives on local shopping
trips or by high school students to commute to school.

'We are concerned at the very poor quality of some of the bicycles.
Japan is the only developed country without official bicycle safety
standards,' said Mr Shimano, who is lobbying the Japanese
government actively to adopt safety guidelines proposed by the industry.

But though it has the technology,
the company swears it will not produce bicycles itself.

'Our founder said 'never ever compete with a customer'.

'Bicycle manufacturers are our customers.
We will never ever make bicycles,' said Mr Shimano.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** BMX-ers bring their tricks to town's fun-packed carnival ***

Lutterworth -- 08/02/2003
THIS year's Lutterworth Carnival is set to be the biggest and best yet,
with a top class line-up including for the first time a BMX and
skateboarding demonstration.

Organisers have confirmed the demonstrations by display groups
The Edge and Casio, based in Leicester, will be part of the programme
of events for carnival day on Saturday, August 16.

The demonstration, which looks set to be a huge crowd-puller,
will take place between 2 and 3pm at the Coventry Road
recreation ground.

There are also some new additions that will
be joining the procession through Lutterworth.

The Leicester Tiger mascots, a toy soldier marching band and a
whole array of floats will be taking part in the traditional parade
through the town which starts at 12.30pm.

Carnival co-ordinator Alice Sidorowicz said:
"We are delighted to confirm the BMX and skateboard demonstration.
"The Edge and Casio are both excellent groups and will be an ideal
carnival day event.

"There will be something for everyone and there is still
the chance to get involved along with everybody else.

"People can book a stall at the recreation ground
or enter a float in the carnival day procession.

"I am very pleased with the response that we have had this
year and it looks set to be a very memorable and enjoyable day."

For further information about the Lutterworth Carnival 2003
or if your group or association would like to get involved,
contact Alice on 0116 2478725.

*PHOTO

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
   All Things Northwest in BMX!
    ***** Gene`s BMX *****
    http://www.genesbmx.com
 

*** Half-pipe trial nearing end ***

HAZLET  NJ (AP) — 08/02/2003
A long-delayed trial involving a dispute between
two Matawan neighbors may be wrapped up soon.

The trial began on June 20 in the township, and continued
July 23 with testimony from Robert Anfuso, 258 Main St., Matawan.

Anfuso received a series of complaints, filed by Jeremiah Hourihan,
239 Jackson St., for building a half-pipe structure that was used for
performing skateboard and bicycle tricks on the back of his property
near Jackson Street.

Hazlet Municipal Court Judge Robert C. Blum said he planned to
look at the structure at the end of last week before rendering a
decision on the matter sometime this week.

Three summonses, based on borough ordinances, were issued in
April 2002 on Hourihan’s behalf, by Paul Reinhold, Matawan’s
zoning officer. The first charged Anfuso with changing his prop­erty’s
grade without approval from the borough engineer. The second
charged him with excessive noise, which was created by children
riding bicycles on a raised platform. The third charged the defendant
with constructing a bike plat­form.

Anfuso was the defense’s first and only witness.

Though between 10 and 15 children can be on the structure at times,
only two children can use it at a time for bi­cycle tricks, Anfuso said
at the July 23 hearing.

The half-pipe is also used for other activities, such as playing
manhunt,
shooting water guns and sledding during the winter, he said. Its main
purpose, however, is as a stage for performing bike tricks.

Using bicycles on the half-pipe pro­duces loud sounds resembling
thunder, Hourihan said, while skateboard use produces sounds
similar to riding on rail­road tracks. Hourihan said in previous
testimony that he and his wife would close his windows to
block the sounds, and sometimes left their residence to avoid the noise.

The sounds from the structure are more rhythmic, with no metal to
metal sounds heard, due to recent changes made to the half-pipe,
Anfuso said.

That work included replacing metal rods on each end of the
half-pipe with plastic pipes filled with concrete to eliminate the
clanking noise. Anfuso also moved the structure back an addi­tional
five feet, which stood six feet from his fence.

"(The sound) is a slight bang; it’s no relation to thunder whatsoever,"
Anfuso said.

Closing statements were made by Anfuso’s attorney,
Marc B. Schram of Hazlet and Fitzgerald.

During Schram’s closing, he told Judge Blum that the ordinance
his client was charged with violating was vague and inconsistent.

"This common, ordinary neighbor feud involved some basic
rights that are underlined in the constitution," Schram said.

The ordinance has no objective crite­ria for what is an annoyance
to surround­ing residents, which makes it in viola­tion of the
constitution,
he said.

The ordinance also does not specify the setback requirements,
height, weight or hours the half-pipe could be used, he said.

This may allow two residents from the same municipality to
be treated dif­ferently when accused of the same vio­lation, he said.

"You can’t have enforcement of the law based
on  a ‘make it up as you go along’ basis," he said.

In his closing statement, Fitzgerald said he appreciates what the
Anfusos are trying to do for their children. Hav­ing the structure
in their own yard al­lows them to supervise their kids, he said.

However, the constitution’s creators did not know about modern
noise-pro­ducing items such as compact discs and audio tapes,
he said. Future legislative officials were given the responsibility
of creating laws with those aspects in con­sideration, he said.

"The framers of the Constitution had no idea that these things would
come about," Fitzgerald said. "You know how to solve the problem
— the ramp goes," he said.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Boy Leaves Hospital After Run-In With Bicyclist  ***

PORTLAND OREGON -- 08/02/2003
  ~7-Year-Old Suffers Skull Fractures, Broken Back ~
A 7-year-old seriously injured by a bicyclist was released
from the hospital on Friday.

Dustin Keller had finished playing in the Rose Garden fountain
and was heading for the crosswalk when he was hit and dragged 30 feet.

Keller suffered a broken back and two skull fractures and
had brain surgery at Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

Police are still looking for the bicyclist, who was treated at
the scene but did not give authorities his name before he left.

Witnesses describe the bicyclist as a 35- to 40-year-old
Caucasian man at least 6 feet tall and 230 pounds.
As wearing a white T-shirt and a white bike helmet
with flames on the side. His bicycle was dark green.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Portland Police Bureau.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Prokop Web Site Announced ***

International BMX Superstar, Michal Prokop,
has announced an awesome website, http://www.prokoprider.com
Now, if you've ever met Michal, you'll know that he's a pretty cool guy,

but his web site goes WAY beyond cool, it's down right Super Cool!

This baby is decked out with so many features, there are almost
too many to mention, but we'll try, jes check out, .

Michal most recently, scored a big Second Place finish in the
Elite Cruiser Final at the UCI BMX World Championships
in Perth, Australia. If you want to check out this most excellent site,
just click here, http://www.prokoprider.com and you'll be whisked
off to Prokop Heaven!

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

FAT NewsFLASH July 2003
www.FATBMX.com

Sponsored by Vans, Snafu, Flybikes, Hoffmanbikes, ACS BMX Components and
Paul's Boutique BMX Hotrod Shops
______________________________________________

BMX FREESTYLE EVENTS UPCOMING 2 MONTHS:

AUGUST 2003:
Philips Fusion (Soul Bowl), August 1-3, Huntington Beach, CA, USA
German BMX F/S Championships, August 1-3, Berlin, Germany
Grand Forks Skatepark BMX Contest, August 2, Grand Forks, ND, USA
2003 Women of Freestyle Jam, August 2, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
2003 HamJam Round 2, August 2, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Backyard Jam 2 (Coventry), August 2-3, Coventry, UK
Rippin' Corpse BMX Contest, August 2-3, Helsinki, Finland
MSS Round 4, August 2-3, Miami or Charlotte, USA
Simpel Session 2003, August 8-9, Tartu, Estonia
Relax Jam, August 9-10, Redditch, North Worcestershire, UK
X Games, August 8-18, Los Angeles & Woodward West, CA, USA
VANS BMX JAM, August 16, Nørrebro, Denmark
ROM Skatepark Jam, August 17, Romford, UK
FAT JAM 2003, August 23-24, Aarle-Rixtel, Netherlands
Vancouver Metro Jam, August 28-31, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Team Planlos Jam, August 30-31, Hannover/Misburg, Germany
MSS Round 5, August 31 - September 1, Baltimore, USA

SEPTEMBER 2003:
2003 Core Tour Round 3, September 5-7, Huntington Beach, CA, USA
2003 KOG Round 2, September 7, Osaka, Japan
Ghetto Street Comp, September 20-21, Johnson City, NY, USA
BMX BOK, September 20-21, Deventer, The Netherlands
MSS Round 6, September 20-21, Dallas, USA
Vans Triple Crown 2003 Round 3, September 25-28, Oceanside, CA, USA
Flatimeking Flatland Jam, September 27-28, Grenoble, France

Please keep us updated on your events. Send your event information to:
events@...

More info on the events above: http://www.fatbmx.com/events.html
______________________________________________

It's summer. Holiday for everyone. People are on roadtrips trying to find
that spot they've seen in the magazine. Riders pack their cars to go to the
big event of the year. Tent, barbeque, bikes. Finally sunny out, finally
time to ride. Different country, different language, it all adds to the
adventure.

The FAT editor just got back from his holidays and I finished up the July
updates before taking a few days off. No news for you this month, but we've
collected quite a bit of stuff for the July update. You'll probably read
this after you get home from all the good sessions. It's no time to spend
indoors behind a computer.

Enjoy the time summer. Explore.

Bart de Jong
______________________________________________

UPDATES FAT BMX MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL by Bart de Jong
1 | Summer time
2 | Contents July 2003
http://www.fatbmx.com/editorial.html

MONTHLY FAT MOVIE
1 | Paris Road Trip (June 2003) by Dwayne Verkade
http://www.fatbmx.com/movie.html

PIN*UP
1 | Pin*Up July 2003 - Tioga T's
http://www.fatbmx.com/pinup.html

BMX FREESTYLE
1 | Paris Roadtrip Gone Bad, Paris, France
2 | Worlds 2003 Pro Street, Beja, Portugal
3 | Worlds 2003 Pro Dirt, Beja, Portugal
4 | Worlds 2003 Pro Flatland, Beja, Portugal
5 | Worlds 2003 Pro Vert, Beja, Portugal
6 | Worlds 2003 Party Time, Beja, Portugal
7 | Triple Crown, Denver, USA
8 | Feedback regarding organized freestyle (June editorial)
http://www.fatbmx.com/bmxfs.html

BMX RACING
1 | "On the Gate" by Robert de Wilde
2 | District Cross (MX), Valkenswaard, The Netherlands
http://www.fatbmx.com/bmxracing.html

BMX BIZZNIZZ
1 | Interview Johan Lindstrom - UCI BMX coordinator
http://www.fatbmx.com/bizznizz.html

SCENE REPORTS
1 | X-Dreams Skate Park, Rochester, NY, USA
http://www.fatbmx.com/scene.html

MEDIA REVIEWS
1 | BMX DVD: Obsession
http://www.fatbmx.com/media.html

UNIVERSITY OF BMX
1 | Opinion: BMX an OLYMPIC SPORT from 2008 on!
http://www.fatbmx.com/university.html

COMIC & ART
1 | Too hot... by Christophe Boul
2 | Avril Lavigne by Dezasta D-Jastah
3 | Taj Mihelich by Jeremy Jones
http://www.fatbmx.com/comic.html

EVENT SCHEDULE
1 | Latest updates regarding BMX events worldwide
http://www.fatbmx.com/events.html

CHECK OUT THESE UPDATES NOW AT
www.fatbmx.com
FAT BMX Magazine
______________________________________________

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http://www.fatbmx.com/mailing.html
or reply to this e-mail with "remove" in the subject line.

www.fatbmx.com
FAT BMX Promotions - We tell it like it is!
______________________________________________

*** Wenatchee Confluence State Park Parking Permit Fee ***

Wenatchee, Washington -- 08/01/2003
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission requires
a vehicle parking permit to park in state parks system-wide.
( Wenatchee Confluence State Park )
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parkpage.asp?selectedpark=Wenatchee%20Confluence&pageno=\
1

The commission set the daily vehicle parking permit fee at $7 daily
and $70 for an annual permit. This permit is discounted to $5 daily
and $50 annually until 2006.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission began
charging a vehicle parking permit fee at six Washington State Parks
in  June 2002. During the December 2002 commission meeting,
the commission voted to expand the vehicle parking permit fee
program to a statewide system, effective Jan. 1, 2003.

Although revenue from this fee will not solve the long-term funding
issues of state parks, it will help hold the park system together.

For more about vehicle parking permits:
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parking/parkingfaq.asp
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parking
http://www.parks.wa.gov

http://www.genesbmx.com/WenatcheeBikingInfo.html
http://www.genesbmx.com/apple-capital-recreation-loop-trail.html

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Bike, skate enthusiasts voice park preferences ***

ESCONDIDO ---- 08/01/2003
If you build it they will come, and if you ask for their input,
they take their role very seriously.

In that vein, nearly 50 teens with skateboards tucked under their arms,
professional BMX bike riders and vocal in-line skaters mingled with
city officials dressed in suites and ties in the Mitchell Room at
Escondido
City Hall on Wednesday night

They were there after being invited to help Site Design Group
renovate the Escondido Sports Center Skate Park in Kit Carson
Park. The skate park, located across the parking lot from the
amphitheater, will undergo renovations later this year to modernize
the park and attract more users. Completion is expected in early 2004.

"This park is going to add a lot of excitement to the community,"
said Peter Ritchie, recreation supervisor. "This industry changes
so quickly and this park is ready for some renovations."

The skate park, which opened in 1997, has become known worldwide
by professional skaters. Stewart Game, a college student from England,
chose to come to San Diego on an internship largely due to the Escondido

park. He now works at the park in between his studies.

"This is one of the most famous skate parks in the world," Game said.
"This whole area is a breeding ground for skaters
---- it's where the scene is."

Michael McIntyre, CEO of Site Design Group, said he had some
ideas for park renovations but he really wanted input from those
who use the park on a regular basis. Site Design, based out of
Tempe Ariz., has designed more than 100 skate parks all over the world

"I really need advice from you guys," McIntyre told the group.
"You are going to be the anatomy of this park."

McIntyre gave a presentation on his company and discussed
the blueprints of the current park. He also worked on sketches
of the renovations based on input from the group.

The existing park is constructed out of metal and concrete
and is exposed to the weather. McIntyre said the renovated
park will be made out of phenolic, a weatherproof, paper-based resin.
They are also proposing a covering for the area. McIntyre said he
envisioned a street-style park for Escondido where pros could
practice for competitions.

"Every park, every course, we design is different," McIntyre said.
"Each park has different ... users with different needs.
This park has a big bike and in-line influence so we will look at that
closely.

Rollerbladers, bikers and skaters were
divided on their vision of the park

While the bikers said they wanted flow and transitions,
the Rollerbladers were excited about stunts and ledges.
Skateboarders requested stair cases and rails.

Mike Parenti, a professional freestyle bike rider from San Marcos,
came to the meeting to make sure bikers received representation.
Parenti said the Escondido park is one of the few bike-friendly
parks in the area.

"Most of the parks in the area are skater parks because
they were designed by skaters," Parenti said. "I am concerned
about this park transforming into a skater park, but they seem
open to our ideas."

Parenti said the park needs to include a combination
of obstacles for skaters, Rollerbladers and bikers.

"I am at the level where I need a park to practice for competitions
and most of my friends are that way," Parenti said. "They need to
blend the park with skate and bike ramps and make everyone happy.
I guess it's hard to please everyone though."

Mac McMeans, a Rollerblader and national sales manager
for an in-line skate company, was one of the participants who
were not pleased with the meeting.

McMeans said the city could save a lot of money by
"decriminalizing skating in Escondido."

"I have seen what is successful and what is not," McMeans said.
"None of the stuff they are talking about is big enough. Kids will
master it in a month and then go back to the street."

McIntyre said his company intended to design a park
for all levels of users and for bikers and skaters alike.

"This is a public park and it needs to have something for beginning,
intermediate and advanced users," McIntyre said. "We're not going
to discriminate against any user."

A second meeting for skate park renovations has been tentatively
set for the second week in August.
The park is also still looking for sponsors.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** BMX bikers in council fight ***

Petersfield UK -- 08/01/2003
BMX bikers have vowed to fight a decision to flatten
their home-made dirt jumps – by building them up again.

The enthusiasts spent 10 back-breaking months building up a
course of earthy jumps using nothing but shovels, barrows and
their own ingenuity.

But two weeks ago Petersfield Town Council ordered the jumps
to be levelled amid fears that it would be left open to legal action
if someone got hurt.

Undeterred by the local authority's decree, the youngsters have
already begun rebuilding their Sheet Common course, and they
have set up a petition in a bid to encourage consultation with
council officials.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Half-pipe dreams ***

Winsford UK -- 08/01/2003
CHILDREN are riding high after the Winsford BMX and Skate Park
was officially opened at Mount Pleasant in Winsford - thanks to a
last-minute cash boost.

The park, which has been designed to specifications mapped
out by the children who themselves originally asked for a skate
park to be built, was unveiled by Winsford Town Mayor Nick Harris
and Vale Royal Borough Mayor Val Godfrey on Tuesday last week.

But when work started to transform a boggy patch of land just a
few weeks ago, organiser Groundwork was still trying to scrape
together a shortfall of £35,000 to complete all the plans.

United Utilities Landcare, a landfill tax funding programme,
came in with a late £20,000 cash injection, on top of the
£10,000 it had already granted.

In addition, Cheshire Police Authority chipped in with £5,000
from its Community Partnership Fund and Winsford Town
Council also awarded a late grant of £2,000.

The skate park is still a few thousand pounds short, but
Groundwork has agreed to underwrite the cost until more
sponsorship can be found.

Eoin Cooke, United Utilities' general manager of process
operations, said: 'This BMX and skate park project is a fantastic
success story for the people in the community who have worked
so hard to get this project off the ground. We are delighted to be
playing our part and I am sure it will be enjoyed by youngsters
for years to come.'

The project originated from a petition by youngsters two years
ago which asked Vale Royal Borough Council to build a skate park.

Cllr Harris has been involved from the start and he said: 'I am
delighted the project is now coming to fruition and that
Groundwork has managed to see it through.

'The town council is proud to have such a great facility being
built in Winsford. It is not only significant for Winsford, but
also for the borough, region and the country.

'It will provide a great opportunity for local people from all areas
of the town to hone and develop their skills. Who knows, someone
may even get good enough to represent Great Britain at Beijing in
five years time, as BMX has just been designated a full medal
sport in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing for the over-19s.'

Peter Heberlet, of Groundwork, added: 'This boost from United
Utilities Landcare is great news for Mid Cheshire. We've still got
a few thousand to go, but thanks to all the help, people will be
able to come down and use it this summer.'

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** School District Bans Bicycles ***

WAUCONDA (AP) -- 08/01/2003
Biking on campus will no longer be allowed at Wauconda
Grade School after officials banned bicycles for safety reasons.

The ban, which starts Aug. 27, has prompted protests from parents
and children, some of whom plan a protest ride at the school board's
Aug. 7 meeting.

School officials said they didn't want cycling students to get hurt.
They noted that traffic in the area had increased and that a
student was hit by a car last spring while riding to school.
That student wasn't seriously injured.

``We cannot run the risk of ignoring a safety problem,''
said Superintendent John Barbini of the Wauconda Community
Unit School District 118. ``The simplest answer is for the school
to ban bike riding.''

But parent Jose Pineiro called it ``a knee-jerk reaction.''
He suggested that school officials control traffic around the
school, add a second crossing guard or find other ways to
ensure safety not ban bikes.

Adding a crossing guard won't help, Barbini said.
``Given the way students at this age level tend to
ride their bicycles, it's just not worth the risk,'' he said.

The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation called the ban ``a mistake.''

``It says to children, this is a transportation choice that's not
viable,''
said Dave Glowacz, the group's education director. ``It's easy for
us to understand their thinking, but a lot of people don't realize
there's a greater danger to children from a sedentary lifestyle.''

The Wauconda school district has banned bikes at its middle
and high schools for several years.

Though it removed bike racks from Wauconda Grade School
this summer, it still allows bicycles at two elementary schools.
Individual principals make their own decisions on whether to
allow bikes, Barbini said.

Biking to school has become part of Megan Glenn's routine,
said the 12-year-old's mother, Marilyn Glenn of Wauconda.
Her daughter gets good exercise and gains a sense of
independence while riding to school with friends, she said.

Taylor Sherman, 11, had planned to bike to school this fall.
``I don't think it's fair,'' he said.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Track stolen bicycles ***

Japan News -- 08/01/2003
Bicycle thefts are an increasing problem. So too are abandoned bikes.
Wiht that in mind, National Bicycle Industrial Co, a unit of Matsushita
Electric Industrial Co, will launch an electric bicycle in August
equipped with a Secom Co global positioning system (GPS)
designed to foil theft.

The bicycle maker has developed a battery for its ViVi brand
electric bicycles that can simultaneously supply electricity to
the bicycle and recharge the COCO-SECOM portable GPS unit.

The new bicycles will enable their owners to keep track of their
bikes in real time by accessing Secom's web site or calling an
operator of the security services firm. If a bicycle is being stolen,
a Secom security guard will rush to the spot on the bike owner's
request.

Should the bicycle be stolen despite the effort, owners can
get a new bike by paying only 300 yen for the first three
years after the purchase of the first bike, Matsushita said.

GPS-equipped Electric Bicycle, BE-SHS 632 and 432, bBE-SHD
63A and 43A, and BE-SHE 63A and 43A National Bicycle Industrial Co.,

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Sk8ter BOYS ***

Buffalo NY (AP) -- 08/01/2003
~Extreme athletes wow the crowd at LaSalle Park~
When I was asked to cover the Mobile Skatepark Series last
weekend at Lasalle Park, I laughed. Of all of the people I know,
I am the one who knows the least about skateboarding, biking
and rollerblading. But how hard could it be? After flipping through
a few ESPN magazines, unable to comprehend common skatepark
terms, much less an article about BMX, skateboarding and Rollerblading,
I realized I would have to do my homework.

I'm proud to say that 29 visits to the ESPN Web site and two pints
of ice cream later, I felt knowledgeable enough to enter the
Skatepark and talk to professional and amateur skaters.

Formed by ASA events, the goal of the skatepark series is to
bring together pro athletes, musicians, and the fans that enjoy
watching them. The event features a variety of interactive
activities including a booth with up-to-date Nintendo Game
Cube Extreme Sport games, a table of free products donated
by MSS sponsors, and perhaps most important, an environment
in which amateur skaters and bikers can practice their moves
alongside their professional role models.

Buffalo was the third stop on the 2003 Mobile Skatepark Series,
after Cincinnati and Milwaukee.

Equipped with my skatepark vocab sheet, I decided to head
out to the event Sunday. The Skateboarding Street Best Trick
Contest was to take place around 1:15, so I decided to head
to the Street Course to watch the profs practice.

As it turns out, all the competitors listed in the MSS program
don't participate at every stop on the tour; those who can make
it come and additional skaters and bikers are added as the event
continues. Sunday's selection of extreme sports athletes included
about 20 competitors.

Ricky Oyola, a Philadelphia native and veteran skateboarder
known for making a living solely off street skating, only had to
make a short trip to Buffalo, while Shane Yost, the third-best
Rollerblader in the world and an avid participant in X Games,
hails from Australia.

Yet hometown and history and past awards have little meaning
on the course. The attention of the athletes and audience is focused
on one thing: the moment. It doesn't matter how many times you
have perfected a 720 (an aerial trick in which the rider or skater
completes two rotations) before. What matters is if you can do it
when you need to.

With top prize of the Skateboarding Street Best Trick Contest a
hefty $2,000, the competitors needed to be more than prepared
to show the judges they could perfect the hardest tricks anytime,
anywhere.

The contest is different from what is usually seen on TV; instead
of competitors performing individually, they all skate at once.
The clock is set for 30 minutes; the athletes perform as many
tricks, as many times, to the best of their ability.

The competition was fierce. Oyola provided perfection that only
an older, experienced competitor can, while Caine Gayle held his
own, representing the younger generation. Benji Galloway, Danny
Mayer and Toby Parker all amazed the crowd with combinations
of jaw-dropping tricks.

All of the competitors demonstrated three things.

• Speed. Experienced officials say that skateboarders need to
build up speed in order to get to a point where they can execute
their tricks. Tas Pappas and Charlie Wilkins seemed to attain
such speed that at times it appeared as though they were flying
through the course.

• Fearlessness. All of the competitors showed such a disregard
for safety and an interest in trying new tricks - often times at risk
to themselves. A resounding "Owwwww" could be heard from
the crowd as Gayle tried to grind a rail, only to land in a let's just
say . . . uncomfortable position. Yet he got right back on his board and

entered the launch ramp, ready to try an even more dangerous aerial
trick.

• Determination. Two words, one man: Tyrone Wilson. Wilson
was no doubt the crowd favorite, and in my case, the reason to
stay and watch the entire 30-minute contest. From the start, it
was obvious Wilson's goal was to execute an incredibly hard
maneuver: a 540 fakie off a small half vert ramp. What wasn't
so apparent was that Wilson would be repeating this trick
throughout the entire 30 minutes until he got it, earning enormous
amounts of applause. Although he did not "stick," or perform the
trick exactly right, Wilson's determination thrilled the crowd.

Wilson's persistence earned him fifth place and $350, while
Benji Galloway's hard work accepted fourth and $500. Despite
his painful landing positions, Gayle landed himself a bronze medal
and $800, and speed demon Wilkins was crowned with silver
and $1,000. Oyola won the $2,000 prize.

After receiving their awards, the skateboarders devoted their time
to the fans. At least five of the athletes made their way over to the
merchandise table, where they gladly signed anything given to them,
shoes included, and talked and laughed with fans. During the signing
and for the next hour, amateur skateboarders were invited to try the
same street course the professionals had skated on.

Unfortunately, around 4 p.m. the MSS Vert Team Challenge
High Air/Best Trick Contest had been canceled due to high winds.
Vert boarders, or the skateboarders who perform tricks on a
half pipe, can lose ability to calculate where they are going to land
or be lifted by high winds, creating unsafe conditions for other
boarders.

As I made my way out of the park, droves of people were still
walking in. And I realized I had something in common with people
here. Although I can't say that I will now spend my weekends tuned
into the X-Games 24/7, I can acknowledge a newfound respect and
appreciation for skaters and bikers who made a living doing something
they love; for perfecting a sport that isn't nearly as easy as it
appears,
and in the process establishing a bond with the fans who support them.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Skate park sculpture vandalized ***

CONTOOCOOK NH (AP)  -- 08/01/2003
~Volunteers built area as memorial to two friends~
All summer, as skaters and bikers swooped up and down
the ramps of the town's new skate park, a larger-than-life
Spider-man stood nearby, watching from atop his own
perch on a skateboard.

Yesterday the 7-foot, 1,000-pound wooden sculpture lay on its side,
separated from his base and missing a hand. Early Tuesday morning,
a police officer on patrol found that the statue had been toppled by
vandals sometime in the night.

The park, designed to memorialize two young men who died in
an accident, was created almost entirely by volunteers and friends.
The statue was one of many gifts donated to the project.

Yesterday, skateboarders looked at the fallen sculpture,
frowning at the splinters of wood littering the ground.

"It's mean," said Tyler Guilmette, 10.

The Hopkinton Spirit Skate Park, not yet completely finished,
was conceived by Robert Carr and Don Shumway as a memorial
to their sons. Robbie Carr and Jake Shumway, who died in a
camping accident in 2000, were close friends and avid skateboarders.

Local chainsaw artist Tom Worcester carved the statue specifically
for the park and donated it as the park was nearing completion.
He also built the picnic table at the park, which is shaped like a
skateboard. Worcester has been known for the animal-shaped
mailboxes he's carved in the past, and he is also responsible for
the giant pineapple that decorates the front of the Golden Pineapple
gift shop in nearby Henniker.

Since the sculpture was erected, it's fallen a few times. Robert Carr
acknowledged that the statue should have been secured with a
permanent base, but said that was supposed to happen when
the area around the park is landscaped in the coming weeks.

"I think with some wood glue, we can put it back together,"
Carr said yesterday.

"The statue needs to get that base installed," said Shumway.
"And then Spider-man will be secure."

The police found out about the damage at about 2 a.m.
Tuesday. On Sunday night, the police had been called
to the River Grant condominiums across the street from
Hopkinton High School and the park. Tenants saw a
small, dark car back through the white picket fence that l
ines the apartment complex, and called the police. On
Tuesday, a police officer noticed that the fence had been
plowed over in a second spot, leaving two gaps in the
fence like missing teeth. While the officer was looking at
the fence, he noticed that the statue across the street had
been pushed over.

It took eight people to unload the statue from a trailer to get
it into the park, said Carr. It is not clear how the statue was
broken apart, but the police are investigating the vandalism.
They believe the damage to the fence and to the statue are related.

"There's a difference between malicious destruction of property
and kids tipping stuff over," said Shumway. "And these things
happen. The park's heavily used, and it's a place where kids hang out."

Carr plans to ask around at the park, to see if any of the kids
there have heard anything about who may have been responsible.
But he said he's mainly looking forward to getting the finishing
touches taken care of so that the park can officially open,
hopefully around the start of the school year.

"We built it for the smiles, and I hate to see anything negative
go on there," Carr said. "It's just too special."

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Cervélo Cycles Inc. Announce Recall of Bicycle Forks ***

WASHINGTON, D.C. - 08/01/2003
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces
the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below.
Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless
otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Bicycle Forks

Units: About 317

Manufacturer: Cervélo Cycles Inc., of Toronto, Canada

Hazard: The forks on the bicycles can develop cracks near
the crown area resulting in failure of the fork and posing a risk
of injury to the rider.

Incidents/Injuries: None

Description: The recall involves "Wolf" all-carbon road bike forks
with a 1-inch diameter threadless steer tube. The bicycle forks
were sold with 2003 model Soloist Team and Super Prodigy
bicycles and framesets. A 17cm "Cervélo" logo is printed in white
outlined letters on both fork legs.

Sold at: Bicycle specialty stores nationwide
from April 2003 through July 2003 for about $3,000.

Manufactured in: Toronto, Canada

Remedy: Return the bicycles with the recalled forks to
the dealer where purchased or contact Cervélo's recall
hotline to locate the nearest service dealer to receive a free
replacement.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers should
contact Cervélo Cycles toll-free at (866) 296-3137 between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday CT or visit the firm's
Web site at http://www.cervelo.com/wolfrecall

CC - http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03169.html

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com

*** Message NOTE! From Geneb-Gene`s BMX ***

I get about 5 to 8 e-mails a week for over the last year asking
about the Apple Capital Bicycle Club  - http://www.bikeacbc.com
and the Wenatchee Velo Club - http://www.bikewenatchee.com
from out of the Wenatchee area. Lots of bike riders asking for info
about both of the clubs.

To everyone that has e-mailed me and is asking for info,
I my self have have asked people in the Wenatchee area
about both of the clubs, and I get just about the same
info that is listed on both of there websites, & No one knows
how to get a hold of anyone with in there clubs, So I have
NO IDEA on how to get a hold of any one with there
clubs or about there bike rides. On both websites -they do
NOT even list an e-mail address for info replys. Your guess
is about as good as mine. And I agree with the people that say
in there e-mails to me "I wish we would have more info about
there bike rides and we would travle to Wenatchee to ride with them".
It is sad that they do not list more info for people that want to ride.
I will keep trying to find and get info, But at this time,
I do not know anything but what they have listed on there sites.
Sorry.....................................

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
    All Things Northwest in BMX!
     ***** Gene`s BMX *****
     http://www.genesbmx.com